Conway police are investigating a bank robbery at the Arkansas Federal Credit Union on Skyline Drive. It is the city's fourth reported armed robbery in the last 24 hours.

At around 10:30 this morning a suspect described as a black male in his 40s wearing a Miami Heat baseball cap and a camouflage “hoodie” sweatshirt went into the bank with a handgun and a note demanding money, according to Conway Police Department public information officer LaTresha Woodruff. Woodruff said that the suspect may also have a gold tooth.

According to Woodruff, the man wasn’t said to have pointed the handgun at anyone in the bank, but he wasn’t trying to hide it and he left with an undisclosed amount of money. No one was hurt.

The suspect was seen leaving the bank alone in a vehicle witnesses described as an older “square-style” American sedan, gold in color, possibly a 1980s-era Chevrolet Caprice — though essentially the same car was also badged as a Buick LeSabre and a Pontiac Parisienne. Woodruff said that no witnesses reported seeing which direction the suspect went, but given the bank’s location at the north end of Skyline Drive it’s possible that he left town on Interstate 40.

On Sunday night a group of men robbed three victims at gunpoint in a string of “crime of opportunity” holdups at an apartment, a parking lot, and a outside of a closed bank. Woodruff said there was no indication so far that this morning’s bank robbery is related to Sunday night’s holdups.

Suspects in Sunday’s incidents were captured on a gas station security camera using a victim’s credit card. The men in these pictures appear too young to be described as "in their 40s." Also, these suspects drove away from the gas station in a more modern silver sedan, possibly a 2004-2008 Chevrolet Malibu.

Anyone with information can call the Conway Police Department at 450-6120.

The Conway Service Center is OPEN and ready to serve our members. Thank you for your patience, and we apologize for any inconveniences.

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Banks and credit unions tend to provide two reasons for not hiring security guards — cost and legal liability.

The average take in a bank robbery or heist was about $7,500 in 2011, according to FBI statistics. That is a fraction of the $28,939 that Salary.com reports as the median wage of a security guard.

Bankers say they're concerned about the liability they face if employees and customers get hit in the crossfire between an armed guard and robber.

Banks do take robberies seriously and many train their staff on prevention and how to act and think if it happens.
That includes making sure they understand the robbery is about the money, not about harming them.